Internal combustion engines (ICE) open and close valves as part of the combustion process. Typically, one or more camshafts are rotationally coupled with a crankshaft via an endless loop that transmits rotational force from the crankshaft to the camshaft(s). In the past, the angular position of the crankshaft relative to the camshaft(s) has been fixed. But more recently, variable camshaft timing in the form of camshaft phasers (or simply a “cam phaser”) has been used to vary or alter the angular position of the camshaft relative to the crankshaft(s). Depending on a variety of factors, engine operation can be optimized by changing, either advancing or retarding, the angular position of the camshaft(s) relative to the crankshaft. This can also be referred to as changing the phase of the camshaft(s). One portion of the camshaft phaser includes a camshaft sprocket rotationally coupled to the crankshaft via the endless loop and another portion of the camshaft phaser is coupled to the camshaft. The camshaft phaser can change an angular position of one portion of the camshaft phaser relative to another portion of the camshaft phaser in a variety of different ways. For example, the camshaft phaser can be hydraulically-controlled such that a hub with one or more vanes is angularly displaced by a fluid to advance or retard timing.
But implementing variable camshaft timing on engines using camshaft phasers involves a number of challenges. Engines sometimes use camshafts and phasers that are designed to tolerate some amount of radial and/or axial movement within the engine. When the engine is assembled with a camshaft phaser coupled to the camshaft, the endless loop, such as a chain, rotationally connects a crankshaft sprocket attached to the crankshaft with a camshaft sprocket attached to the camshaft. Tension from the endless loop exerted on the camshaft sprocket can pivot the camshaft and possibly some of the camshaft phaser components about an end bearing of the camshaft causing unwanted interference and binding. It would be helpful to prevent the camshaft and camshaft phaser from experiencing the unwanted interference and binding.